Just a quick update, since I should probably be sleeping.

This week has been a bit of a crazy one. The good news--I was able to finish all my Christmas shopping AND wrap everything!

The bad news--On Monday my hCG levels had gone up, so I had to have a shot of Methotrexate (which is basically a chemotherapy drug--No, I'm not bald). Thursday we found out that the shot was working, and my hormone levels were dropping. Yay! Ok, maybe not. Thursday night I had two pains/cramps that had me doubled over for about 10 minutes each time. I decided to go to the ER to make sure everything was ok. (Thanks, Mom, for going with me). Ultrasound showed that my tube had grown (almost doubled in size) despite my dropping hCG..

Dr. Channell didn't feel comfortable with sending me home because she didn't want to have to worry about my tube rupturing (and I felt the same way). So, I had two options--wait it out in the hospital until Sunday to see if any progress was made, or opt for surgery to remove my tube (and whatever tissue was left from the pregnancy). We decided on the surgery, so I went in at about 4 p.m. for another laparoscopy and tubal ligation. The doctor said that my tube was in pretty bad shape. Allen even got to see pictures of it--lucky dog. I am exhausted, but feel like there is an end in sight to all my worry & pain.

Thank you all so much for your love, calls, support, and prayers. Thank you Allen for putting up with my whining about the pain, and for hanging out in the hospital with me so many times the past week, and all the help you have been with the boys, meals, & cleaning. Thank you Mom for spending the night in the hospital with me--even when we got so tired that we were laughing hysterically at the "little tree stump". :) Thanks also for taking the boys a lot last week, so I could "recover" and for the yummy meals. Darci, thank you for sitting in the hospital with me after my first surgery last week. It was nice to get to spend time together--even if it was in a boring hospital. Thank you, thank you, thank you to EVERYONE for everything. Sorry for the Grammy-like "acceptance speech". lol I'm pretty tired. But I truly do feel blessed beyond measure.

My Little "Adventure"

I guess I finally have something to write about. Though, I wish it were something happy. Last week I found out I was pregnant. Unfortunately, I had a lot of bleeding and spotting. I wasn't sure what to think at first since I also had a lot with Torrin, but it was more this time.

Yesterday morning I woke up with a persistent cramp in my left side. The pain was bad enough that I had to breathe through it. Luckily, Allen hadn't taken the bus to work, so I called him and had him come home. My Mom came over to watch the boys, and Allen accompanied me to the ER. While I was there the pain became worse, but I still had to wait a while to be seen. I was finally able to get in for an ultrasound, and they discovered the pregnancy in my left tube. (Which is what I expected, but the ER doc tried to convince me it was too early to be able to feel an ectopic). For those of you who have been through labor without an epidural, the pain was a lot like being "in transition," except that it was only on one side. It was probably the second time in my adult life I've cried from pain. (The first being while I was in labor with Torrin).

I'm SO glad they were able to see something on the ultrasound. My hCG levels were at 1300, and I was told that 1500 is the point where they are able to see something on an ultrasound. Thankfully, they did see the mass in my tube, and they didn't have to send me home with that terrible pain.

The pregnancy was too big to treat with a shot of methotrexate, so they got me into surgery within an hour or so. They did laparoscopic surgery to remove the pregnancy and were able to save my tube (and my life for that matter). I'm so glad I went with my instinct and went to the ER. I'm also very grateful that my prayers were answered and that they could get me into surgery sooner. If I would have had to wait 3 hours, like they originally thought, I'm almost sure my tube would have ruptured, and I would have bled to death (ok maybe not, but I would have at least lost my tube and a lot of blood). I have a wonderful OB, and she was on call yesterday, so she was able to operate on me, and everything went well. I just feel so blessed. Thank you, Dr. Channell!

Now Mom is taking the boys so I can get some rest. I came home last night, but was up every 15 minutes in the bathroom--I guess that's what happens when they flush you with fluids for 7 hours. The drugs are kicking in now. Time to go to sleep.

It's been too long.

And I need to buy new batteries for my camera, so I don't have anything more exciting to post.

The idea is to highlight the things you have done out of the 200 items on the list.

1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty--it was closed that day, but I probably wouldn't have done it anyway
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment (Wondering if Anika can remember one, cuz I do).
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight--Haha! That's funny.
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume--Do Wonder Woman underoos count?
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone--Well, I got slapped in 5th grade for defending someone, but have had lots of verbal fights for defending people.
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money--I won my dollar back once on a scratch ticket when I was 18, but I never claimed it.
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about--Can you really change someone else's mind? I think maybe I helped change Allen's mind about marrying me. lol Or at least helped him make it up.
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating--Youth Pioneer Trek, chicken.
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
106. Raked your carpet--haha!
107. Brought out the best in people--I hope so.
108. Brought out the worst in people--probably
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe.
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band--no but some of my friends and I made up a band in high school and named it. lol Fish Biscuits! We never actually played, we just decided who would do what.
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need--not that I didn't NEED, but I definitely could have made a better choice.
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in a historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one--does miniature golf count?
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Ran a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away--I guess not, but I packed a couple of times in brown paper grocery bags as a kid when I wouldn't get my way. lol I still remember the time Darci "ran away" around the corner with a basket of random stuff.
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunch box
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Gone to the ballet
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a camp fire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube--only 3/4 of it
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter

I wish I had it on film.

Allen and Shawn under the house. (If you're squeamish, you may want to skip this post).

One of our furry "friends" decided to die under the house again--this time under the living room. Allen was brave enough to go under the house on his own to try and find the rat. The entrance to the crawl space is in the back yard (on the other side of the house), so he had a lot to go through to get to the living room. He took his "spider stick" which he uses when he goes into the shed to clear the spider webs. He described under the house as one big mess of spiderweb with huge dead spiders all over. Ugh. That right there is the main reason I will NEVER venture under ANY house. He got to the middle of the house (halfway to his destination) when he heard scurrying right above his head and saw one of our housemates. (Thankfully they're not actually inside the house, though. I wouldn't be able to handle that). He jumped and started swinging his spider stick--That's when I heard the banging. A couple minutes later Allen was back inside the house saying he was going to call the expert--his brother Shawn. (Shawn goes under houses all the time for his job).

A few hours later Shawn and Allen started their expedition. It was about 1 1/2 hours of entertainment for me and the boys. We were in the house and could hear Allen and Shawn as they discussed, screamed, laughed, screeched, and finally found the dead rat, which resulted in a whole lot of yelling and gagging. They ventured ALL over the house--not sure why they didn't stay in the area I told them the dead rat was in, I guess because they couldn't find it right away.

(There is plastic under the floor of the house, and I guess there was a big hole that the rats chewed into it, and made all kinds of nests between the plastic and the floor above. Nice huh? Not really).

Here is one conversation that made me laugh out loud:

Shawn: "Put your head in the hole and look that way."
Allen: "Haha. That's funny, for a second I thought you said put MY head in there."
(Shawn puts his head in the hole).
Shawn: "UGH!!! OH!!! Ahh!! There's like a breeze, and it STINKS!!"
(The boys then put their head in "the hole" a few more times, followed by lots of yelling and gagging, and me laughing.)

There were many episodes of screaming and yelling during that hour-and-a-half, but I knew when they finally found the dead rat because that's when I heard the most yelling.

I really wish I would have had them take a video camera. It would have been fun to see. I'm really greatful to Allen and Shawn for taking care of the problem and giving us a bit of comic relief in the process. Thanks guys!

So, now that I've told this story I'm sure that anyone who comes to our house will only be able to think of the rats scurrying below them. Sorry guys.

Halloween Fun

These first pictures are from Maris Farms.

(This picture courtesy of Stephanie).

Little Brother was sick and only trick-or-treated a few houses in my parents' neighborhood.

Big Brother got to go with Allen, Uncle Shawn, and some friends from our ward trick-or-treating. He had a great time and was exhausted by the end of the night.

This was Moochy's alternate costume. He told me Halloween night that he wanted to be a construction worker, but I decided that when he saw his friends as elephants, he would probably want to be a "Hundred Dalmatian" puppy, so that's what we went with.

I love this soundtrack!

1.Silence - Delerium
2.Party's Just Begun - Nelly Furtado
3.Policeman Skank - Audioweb
4.Rock the Casbah - Solar Twins
5.Damaged - Plumb
6.Fingers - Joi & Jorio (original mix)
7.Contradictive - Tricky/DJ Muggs
8.Leave It Alone - Moist
9.Naxalite - Asian Dub Foundation
10.Even While I'm Sleeping - Leonardo's Bride
11.Bangkok - Brother Sun, Sister Moon (Thai Version)
12.The Wind - PJ Harvey
13.Deliver Me - Sarah Brightman
14.The Arrest / Darlene Goes Home - David Newman

Unfortunately, I couldn't find all of it on iTunes, but I did find some of my favorites. I used to have the CD, but who knows what happened to it...

More October Fun.

I haven't posted in a while because we've had a lot going on. Our blog isn't the only thing that's been neglected, so I'm doing this while I take a break from cleaning the house. We've had a pretty good week. I've been a slacker with taking pictures too, so I'll post those later (when I get them from Stephanie).

We went to our ward Halloween party the other night, and that was fun. Hayden dressed as a Dalmation Puppy, and Torrin was a Penguin. Hayden LOVED playing the games (fishing, donut on a string, beanbag toss, decorating cookies, etc), but his favorite part was "dancing in a line with the kids." He was so tired from running around, and HOT from that costume, that his cheeks were red. (Sorry, no pictures yet).

Stephanie was visiting from Vancouver, so she was able to go with us to the Pumpkin Patch on Saturday. (I did take some pictures, but can't find my camera. Go figure.) Allen's brother, Shawn, and my mom went with us too. Hayden got to ride on a pony, which he really enjoyed. (You know, one of those ones where they walk around in a circle). Near the end he asked, "Where are we going? Who's driving this thing?" We got a laugh out of that. The boys also enjoyed feeding the goats and seeing some other animals. We got to watch a little pig race, which was fun too.

The Pumpkin Patch was out in Buckley, but it was worth the drive. I decided that I want to live in Buckley "when I grow up." :) Not because of the pumpkin patch, but because it's beautiful out there. You almost forget that Seattle/Tacoma are just down the hill. I wonder how long before "the sprawl" hits it, though.

Good times.

1. Dead rats in the walls = HUGE flies and a very stinky house (at least the flies are gone now, though). Thank goodness for the 5 for $5 Renuzit cones that Allen found for us to place all over the house. (Please, no one come visit until this is taken care of--unless you like the smell of decomposing rat. It's really bad.)

2. Clogged kitchen sink = very difficult to cook or do dishes. (Allen is out now trying to find a "snake" to fix that problem).

3. PSE Crew Workers replacing a pole outside our house tomorrow = No power ALL day long. Guess we'll be at my parents' tomorrow. (They're in Hawaii--I wish I were there!)

Allen got the results of his written test for Seattle PD. He ranked 6th out of 75 who passed the test, and scored a 96%. Not bad. Not that it really matters, but I find it interesting that even with doing that well on the PAT and written tests, it didn't work out. Oh well. Their loss.

We're still trying to figure out where to go next. We're starting to feel like maybe Heavenly Father doesn't want Allen doing shift work (nursing, police, etc). (I prefer bankers hours myself--with holidays, weekends, etc off). We're thinking maybe teaching or computers, but it's only been a few days of thinking it over, so it could go any way at this point. Either one of those options means more schooling, but that's ok. We don't mind that so much.

Back to the drawing board... Again.

Well, Allen had his oral board interview yesterday, and I guess he didn't have what they were looking for. Generally, interviewing is one of his strong points, so we're a bit confused. (And most of his answers seemed good to me). Either way, I'm proud of Allen for working so hard to train for the PAT test. The only explanation we have is that it's not what Heavenly Father wants for us. I just wish I knew what it was that He wants us to do. It would be nice if He would just send a message in a bottle or something. ;)

So, it's back to trying to figure out where to go from here. We're not sure if that means continuing to pursue law enforcement, finding a job elsewhere, or going back to school. Wherever we end up, we are blessed to know that we have two wonderful boys, a roof over our heads, and that Allen still has his job (even if it isn't where he wants to stay forever).

Excuse me, while I brag about my husband.

After a day of anxiously waiting, waiting, and waiting to hear the news from Allen, I finally got a call. He passed the written test this morning, so was qualified to take the Physical Ability Test this afternoon. Not only did he pass the PAT test, but he maxed out in all of the categories. He did his 300-meter sprint in 49 seconds (max was 56)! His 1.5 mile run in 11:48 minutes (max was 13:35), and maxed out in the sit-ups (38) and push-ups (35). We're proud of him (as always). Now he has his Oral Board Interview tomorrow. Wish us luck.

ETA: By "max" I mean for maximum points.

Photo Tag

I took this idea from a *friend, who took it from a friend. ;) The idea is to go into your pictures and choose the 4th photo in the 4th folder. Then post it. I won't be tagging anyone. I just thought it would be fun.

Allen, Erich (my ex-BIL), Jay (my BIL), Chris (my brother).

This is a picture of the first annual Williams Men's Backpacking Trip. Technically, only one of these men is a Williams. Every year they head up to the mountains (with my dad) for some male bonding. They always have some fun and amazing pictures to show when they get home. Allen's brother, Shawn, has now been "adopted" into my family, so he goes with them now too. I'll have to post more of these pictures when I get them onto my computer.

It's fitting that the picture would be of Allen. Right now he is testing for Seattle Police, and I'm very anxious to hear anything from him. If he passes the written test, he'll stay for the physical agility test. Then they'll call him back tomorrow for oral boards. I'll keep you updated on how that goes.

(*Celeste, your energy bill must have been HIGH!)

Happy Birthday Little Brother

Today TW turned 1 year old. It's so hard to believe that our little baby isn't a baby anymore. On Sunday we celebrated with my family. Here are some pictures from our little party.

He really wasn't that thrilled about opening presents.

And of course, here's the cake again. (Don't look too close).

At first he didn't trust us and wouldn't eat the cake. Then he took a big piece and started sucking on it. Finally, he figured out that it was worth eating.

Courtney and Grandpa washed him up afterwards.

And here's the big boy.

Cheeseburger Soup

Doesn't sound very good, nor is it very healthy, but it was sure good. We had this a few weeks ago. I didn't have celery, so I left that out. I also used beef broth and egg noodles instead of chicken broth and potatoes. I'm making it again tonight, but will be using celery and potatoes. This recipe is even good reheated the next day.

CHEESEBURGER SOUP

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, diced
3/4 cup shredded carrot
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried parsley
3 cupschicken broth
4 cups potatoes, cubed
1/4 cup flour
2 cups cheddar cheese, cubed
1 1/2 cups milk
4 tablespoons butter or margarine

Directions
1. In a large pot, brown ground beef and onion.
2. Add broth, celery, carrots, parsley and potatoes.
3. Bring to a boil, and then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes.
4. In a saucepan, melt the butter and stir in flour.
5. Add the milk, stirring until thick & smooth.
6. Gradually add milk mixture to the soup, stirring constantly.
7. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.
8. Stir in cheese; continue to stir until cheese is melted then serve.
9. Do not boil.

ETA: Ok, so I made it with the potatoes/celery tonight. I think I prefer the egg noodles. Either way it was good, though. (I had to add a bunch of salt too).

Conference

I love being able to listen to and watch conference at home via the internet. Here are some of the things we did today during this morning's session of conference:

I worked on TW's Birthday Cake.

TW took a little nap on the couch.

Mooch watched a show.

And of course, Allen wouldn't let me take a picture of him, but he was on the computer. We are celebrating Little Brother's Birthday tonight with my parents. I can't believe he'll be 1 year old on Thursday. My baby isn't a baby anymore. I will have more pictures to post of that later, along with some pictures of our camping trip at the coast in September. I just need to load them onto my computer.

Allen

I saw this on a friend's blog and thought it was fun. So, since I haven't posted much lately, I thought I'd do this.

1. Where did you meet? I was on a date with a guy I had never met (from the Singles' Ward). We went to a potluck before our "real" date (free dinner lol), and Allen happened to be there. He was trying to flirt with me, but I was on a date with this other guy (though I was definitely interested).

2. How long did you date before you were married? 4 1/2 months, 4 1/2 months, & 4 1/2 months. haha (We had a couple break ups in there).

3. How long have you been married? 4 1/2 years (I'm sensing a theme here).

4. What does he do that surprises you? He brings me little treats often, but that's not really a surprise. Every once in a while he'll just take the kids and let me go out and take a break, and I'll come home to a clean house!

5. What is your favorite feature about him? His blue eyes and broad shoulders.

6. What is your favorite quality about him? He is very patient and easy-going. He doesn't stress about things that are out of his control and just takes things as they come.

7. What is his nickname for you? Hmmm. I don't think he has one. Sometimes he calls me Sweetie, but every once in a while he'll throw something random out there--like Love Muffin (usually when someone else is around to hear).

8. What is his favorite color? It changes. Usually blue, sometimes brown.

9. What is his favorite food? Salsa. He eats it on everything, but probably wouldn't admit that it's his favorite food. (Not sure that's really considered a food anyway--Maybe that just says something about my cooking).

10. What is his favorite sport? Football.

11. Who said I love you first? I did.

12. When and where was your first kiss? November 11, 2002. At Ocean Shores. I remember the date because it was Veterans' Day.

13. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple? Play board games, watch movies. Sometimes we play the computer together (Online games). Sheesh. We sound boring, don't we?

14. How many kids and what ages? 2 boys. Big Brother is 3 years old, and Little Brother will be 1 year old on the 9th.

15. Does he have any hidden talents? He has a lot of "hidden" talents. He has an amazing ability to remember facts. (Don't play him in trivia games if you want to win). He has a natural ability to lead people, which sometimes works in his favor, and sometimes it doesn't. People are always drawn to him. He has random people talking to him EVERYWHERE we go, and kids always stare at him and follow him around.

16. How old is he? 33

17. What kind of music does he like? He's not really into music. In fact, he rarely listens to it in the car--he just listens to sports radio. But if I had to pic one genre of music, I'd say 80's rock.

18. What do you admire about him? He is an amazing dad, and so patient when it comes to the boys. He is very charismatic, well-read, and intelligent, and has inspired me to read more.

19. What is his favorite past time? Reading.

20. Is he going to read this? Probably.

Food Storage

I have been thinking about food storage a lot lately . Perhaps it stems from all the natural disasters and economic "woes" we have seen lately. Maybe it's the Spirit urging me that I need to get moving on this. Whatever the case may be, and at any rate... (That's for you, Nika). I have been slacking in this area, and really need to get rolling with it. Until now I've used these excuses: "We're not settled somewhere yet," "We don't have enough extra money," "I don't feel like going to the cannery," "We move too often, and I don't want to lug all that food all over The United States," or "Our place isn't big enough."

We have had a SMALL food storage (about 16-20 cans from going to do dry pack canning when Allen and I were in the Singles' Ward), but we have whittled away at that. Most of what's left is wheat (or other stuff that's past it's expiration date). So, enough excuses! Time to get serious about this--even if it means lugging "all that food" everywhere we go.

I like what our Cheney ward did, so I've put together a plan based on that. (They would pick something each month to focus on--wheat, oil, spices, etc). So, here's my plan for the year:

September: Flour (4 Huge Bags)
October: Sugar (4 Huge Bags), Macaroni (5-6 Large Bags)
November: Water (2 Big Boxes from Big Lots), Rice (6 Huge Bags)
December: Oatmeal (8 Cans)
January: Peanut Butter (5 Large Cans) (We go through A LOT of PB at our house!), Water (again)
February: Salt, Yeast (3 jars), Spaghetti (5 Large Bags)
March: Oil (5 Liters), Jam (5 Jars), Honey (4 Jars) (We also go through a lot of honey at our house).
April: Soup (Cream of Mushroom & Cream of Chicken) (Bulk from Costco).
May: Spices, Flour again (4 Huge Bags)
June: Green Beans, Tomato Sauce, Tomato Paste, Diced Tomatoes (Costco)
July: Pinto Beans (5 Large Bags), Water
August: Oatmeal , Sugar

I realize that this isn't a "true" 1-year supply, but it's a start. There are also lots of other things I'll need--toilet paper, diapers, wipes, toothpaste, etc. But this plan will allow me to focus on a little bit each month, rather than being overwhelmed with it all at once. And as our budget grows, there will be room to add more . I would also like to start doing more canning, and maybe we'll buy a side of beef when our budget allows.

Anyway, sorry for the boring post, people. I just thought if I post my plan here, maybe I'll be more likely to stick with it. :)

For all my sisters, cousins, & cousins' wives.

Grandma Williams has a blog. I would venture to guess that Erin had a hand in it. ;) Go say hi and leave her a comment. http://ggwilliams.blogspot.com/ We love you, Grandma!

The Boys Today

I just thought I'd write a quick update on what we've been going through at our house. Yesterday was a bad day for mom. I'm sure all of you moms have had days like this. And no matter how much you love and adore your children, you just long for a break from the sound of those cute/whiny little high-pitched voices for a moment of peace and some adult interaction (or time alone). Yesterday was one of those days for me. I lived to tell the story, though. Here's what has been going on around here:

Big Brother: He no longer refuses to wear his "big boy" underwear, so I have started to get (sort of) serious about potty training. This has meant a lot of cleaning up accidents, doing multiple loads of laundry, and setting the timer for every 30-60 minutes to ask him if he needs to go. I think I need to be more consistent, but we're seeing some progress. He even went in the toilet while we were camping. Any moms out there have suggestions? Should we forego the diaper at night too?

On another note, Mooch has been really good with Little Brother lately. I think we're past the hitting phase (YeeHaw!), and he has realized that Toh-Toh is actually FUN to play with. It's nice to see them becoming good friends.

Little Brother: I think he's working on getting some teeth because this boy has been nothing but cranky! He wants to be held ALL the time, and when I put him down he follows me around whining. (ETA: He also gets into EVERYTHING--You've seen what happens when I attempt to do the dishes. Today I was chasing his naked brother around to get him dressed after sitting on the potty, and TW was PLAYING in the toilet water! That's it. Baths all around! The only thing Mooch ever got into was the DVDs).

The cool thing? He's started walking more and more lately. He's taken up to 5 steps at a time, and will be fully walking on his own before we know it. Today I've "caught" him walking short distances without being encouraged to do so, so that's been fun to see.

Help! My pictures are taking over!

I have SO many pictures on my computer, and I need to organize them. Right now I have separate folders for each of the boys, but it's getting overwhelming. Any suggestions on the best way to organize & name the pictures? I think I'll need about 4 hours just to go through them all. Ugh.

Looking Back

I just feel like posting some of our engagement/wedding pictures because I can. I don't have all of our wedding pictures uploaded, so there are probably some better ones sitting around on CDs that are collecting dust. Someday I'll get around to loading those onto my computer.

February 14, 2004

I'm only posting this because it was my FAVORITE picture. Too bad it was blurry, or we would have used it for our announcement with the wording on the left.

May 8, 2004

We only got a couple pictures of the temple (just like the one above). Of course the only time it rained the WHOLE day was when we were trying to take pictures outside. Oh well, what can you do?
Anyone who knows Allen knows it was a pretty big deal for him to cooperate for all of these pictures. I'm glad he didn't raise the kind of stink on our wedding day that he would now. :)

Camping

This weekend we went camping on the Washington Coast. It was a lot of fun. (I hope to have pictures soon from my wonderful sisters, since my camera battery died after 2 pictures). We went with Shawn, Darci, Courtney (sorry sister, I can't get myself to spell your name wrong), Stephanie & Jay. We had a blast.

A lot of people don't like camping, and I think I know why. Camping is work--especially with kids. You have to pack EVERYTHING, bring ALL your food, set up camp, it's really dirty (especially camping in sand), it can be cold and uncomfortable (the older I get the more I notice this one), mosquitos (thank goodness for none this weekend), and bathroom accomodations are not always pleasant. BUT I love it--even with how much work it is!

Here are some reasons I love camping:

1. I get to enjoy nature, which doesn't always happen where we live except when the skunks come around.
2. It's so cool to get into your sleeping bag at night with the sound of a river, the ocean, the wind, or even the rain outside your tent. (MUCH better than the sound of cars, sirens, and loud abnoxious teenagers going by our house). I also love the sound of pine needles hitting the tent.
3. Allen's snoring is muffled by being out in the open, and ear plugs actually work because I'm not on a bed that vibrates from the snoring. :) (Love you, honey).
4. It's awesome to watch the boys play outside, and see the pleasure on Moochy's face when he runs from the waves. Both of my boys really loved playing with the sand (including piling it on their heads, rubbing it in their eyes, eating it, and throwing it all over the place).
5. I LOVE sitting around the campfire at night chatting and playing games--both kids passed out in the tent, and not having to worry too much about what they're getting in to. I like playing in the fire too.
6. It doesn't matter if you stink. (Some people might disagree with me, though). I still wear deodorant and brush my teeth while camping, but it doesn't really matter if you're dirty and smell like smoke.
7. I love puting on a fresh, clean pair of socks at night before I get into my sleeping bag (although, I usually end up taking them off because my feet get too hot).
8. I love being with the people I love.
9. I love going home and smelling the campfire on my clothes, etc, as a good reminder of our trip.
10. I love that first warm shower when I get home, and the kids usually sleep great the first night back. :)

The Name Game

I got this from a friend's blog. I thought it would be fun. Here are the rules:

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker. (For those of you who don't know how to do this, right click the picture, click on "properties", and you'll see the URL there).
d. copy the mosaic image (right click, save image as) to your computer.

The Questions:

1. What is your first name? Angie

2. What is your favorite food? Lo Mein

3. What high school did you go to? Kentwood

4. What is your favorite color? Green

5. Who is your celebrity crush? Don't have one (It was Christian Bale back in the day, but I didn't want to steal yours, Kate.)

6. Favorite drink? Water

7. Dream vacation? Ireland

8. Favorite dessert? Ice Cream

9. What you want to be when you grow up? Interior Decorator

10. What do you love most in life? Family

11. One Word to describe you? Mom

12. Your flickr name? None

I love baking!

1. It's no wonder I'm 10 lbs overweight.
2. I'm so excited to get to use all the Wilton decorating tips, food coloring, etc my mom gave me for my birthday.
3. I enjoy making & decorating fun cakes for my boys' birthdays.
4. I think it would be fun to buy all the Wilton cake pans in the world (haha) and start up a business of making cakes.
5. I made a chocolate cake (completely from scratch) last week--Hmmm I actually made 2 of them. lol They were yummy. The best part was the frosting.
6. I baked rolls this week just because I could--when I started out baking they would always end up heavy and hard, until I realized that you don't have to keep adding flour until the dough isn't sticky.
7. I love making our own pizza dough--especially since Hayden will actually EAT pizza.
8. I have finally found something that will make all that wheat in our food storage useful--thankfully my mom has that VERY loud electric wheat grinder.
9. I bake cookies--often. (again, see #1)
10. I'm always trying to think up in my head what new thing I'm going to make next--I think I'll try to make candies, which means I need to add some new flavorings to my kitchen.

There is nothing better than seeing the ones you love truly happy. My heart is so full right now, and I'm so thankful that Heavenly Father answers prayers. I remember once praying that others would see the light of Christ in me. Shortly after that my institute teacher commented that I had a wonderful countenance. Even those prayers that seem so small and insignificant are important to our Heavenly Father because they are important to us.



With that said, here are a few silly pictures of my boys, who mean the world to me.

So, there I am, minding my own business with my feet propped up on the computer (bad, I know), when all of the sudden Mooch Man pops his head up through my legs. It was pretty funny.

I've been Tagged!

And I guess since I have nothing else to write about, I'll do this.

Here are the rules: Write five things about yourself that nobody knows or that is unique to you. Then tag five of your friends.

1. I have weird thumb nails. It all started in High School when Holly and I went to get our nails done. Those acrylics messed up one of my thumb nails, and now both of them are weird/deformed. Somewhere along the line I developed a habit of pushing my cuticles down, and that's why they now grow dented. lol They are SO ugly.

2. I would love to go back to school someday to study Math Education or Interior Design. Anyone who has seen my house is probably wondering why Interior Design. Just because MY house isn't nicely decorated, doesn't mean I wouldn't LIKE to decorate it. :)

3. I would LOVE to move back to Cheney, Washington, and raise my kids there. I like small towns, but I have to be within 45 minutes of a Target and other major shopping.

4. I get a lot of my adult interaction through message boards. I belong to a forum online full of women who had babies in October 07. We all went through our pregnanies together, and I have made some great friends there. I have a hard time staying away.

5. I'm a big homebody. I want to make friends and get out, but most of the time I would rather stay at home with Allen & the boys. I know I need to get out every once in a while with the girls, but it's always hard to get to that point. Once I make myself go out, though, I always have fun and I'm glad I did.

Now it's your turn. I tag Anika, Tera, Lynnea, Bernadette, & Laura. :)

Ramblings...

Some of you may be wondering why I haven't mentioned anything else about moving, preparing to move, or nursing school... And the rest of you, well you probably already know that we're not moving to Utah.

Our decision to do nursing school was a very quick one. We felt good about it and started to move forward with the plans to move to Utah. We always asked Heavenly Father in our prayers that He would let us know if this decision wasn't right, or that He would confirm it if it was. When we didn't get the money we were hoping for, we were surprised. We have never had problems in the past getting federal funding for school. Some of this must have been due to the fact that Allen already has a bachelors degree. Then we applied for a small private loan, for which we were denied--also a shock since we both have excellent credit. Anyway, this made us stop and re-evaluate things. We found out that Weber State (online) will give resident tuition to a non-resident living out of Utah. So, we thought maybe we could go that route.

At the same time, we started thinking of other career paths we could pursue. That's when Law Enforcement came up. One thing that is really appealing to us about Law Enforcement is the idea of NOT going into more debt. Instead, Allen would get an education incentive for having his BA, AND we can focus on paying off the student loan debt that we already have.

We have looked into a few different police departments (Oregon, Washington, & Idaho State Police, King County, & Seattle PD), and we are leaning toward Seattle. It's still way too expensive here for us to ever buy (or want to buy) a house. So we'll focus on paying off our debt, and maybe Allen will be able to transfer to Idaho in a few years (or at least Eastern Washington or Oregon). Obviously, he doesn't have the job yet. He tests for Seattle PD in October. I don't think he'll have a problem getting hired, but you never know. Sometimes Heavenly Father has other plans.

Update

It's been a couple weeks since I've blogged, so I guess I better update. I'll just post some pictures of what we've been up to.

The boys & I "camped" in our living room.

Little Brother did the dishes... a few times.

We went to the zoo with Aunt Courtney & Uncle Shawn.

My big boy turned 3!

(Yes, he always has the Wii remote in his hands).

We got Allen to "sort of" smile for a picture.

We took sisterly pictures.